Automatic racking device



y 1, 1956 J. P. BREEDLOVE 2,743,823

AUTOMATIC RACKING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJAMES P BREEDLOl/E BY WW ATTORNEYS" United States This invention relatesto apparatus for racking sucker rods and other similar objects such aslong lengths of pipe.

Sucker rods are employed in oil wells and other deep wells to operatepumps located at a considerable depth. A typical sucker rod is of steelconstruction, about /2 to 1 inch in diameter and about to feet long. Anoil well of ordinary depth, e. g., 5,000 to 10,000 feet, will employ avery large number of sucker rods connected together end to end to form astring. A string of sucker rodsextends down into the well and isconnected at its lower end to a piston or plunger and at its upper endto mechanical means, such as the familiar walking beam, forreciprocating the sucker rod string and the plunger to effect thenecessary pumping operation.

From time to time it is necessary to remove sucker rods from a well, e.g., when it becomes necessary to drill the Well to a greater depth, toabandon the well or to remove the pump.

In such event the string of sucker rods is hoisted by any suitablemeans, such as the crown block of theder rick, a cable and a winch. As alength of rod is withdrawn it is uncoupled and hoisted clear of thewell. It is then customary to place each rod on a stationary or mobilerack. Preferably a mobile rack is employed, which can be moved easilyfrom well to well.

The handling and stacking of sucker rods presents a problem owing to therelatively great length of each rod, the great number of rods thatrequire handling at an individual well, and the small diameter of eachrod.

Rods of such great length (25 to 30 feet) and small diameter /2 to 1inch) have a tendency to become twisted together and/ or bent out ofshape. Not only is this tendency troublesome to workmen handling therods, but twisting and bending of the rods weakens them, impair theirusefulness and may require straighteningbent rods or scrapping rodswhich are excessively damaged.

The means employed heretofore for the purpose of handling and stackingsucker rods and other like articles have been disadvantageous. In someinstances the apparatus employed has been cumbersome or has requiredmanual operation. In some instances such apparatus has resulted indamage to sucker rods.

It is an object of the present invention to provide im proved apparatusof the character and for the purpose described.

It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus for handlingsucker rods and other like articles, for the purpose of stacking thesame, such apparatus being largely automatic in its operation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter and for the purpose described which is capable of rapid,efficient handling of sucker rods and the like and which will operatefor the intended purpose without as much damage and tangling as has beenexperienced theretofore.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rod handling mechanismwhich, with a minimum of manual atent 2,743,823 Patented May 1, 1956 icecontrol, will receive the lower end of a sucker rodafter it has beenhoisted from a well and has been detached from the string; which willguide such lower end as the rod is lowered so as to lay the rod insubstantially a prone position; and which will automatically dump therod to a prone position on a platform, rack or the like.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from theensuing description and the appended claims. a

One form of the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus of the invention,which is shown adjacent an oil well derrick and in the course ofoperation.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, vertical longitudinal section taken along theline 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation as seen from the right of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal, vertical section through the automaticcontrol valve of the apparatus of Figure 1, which is shown in itsnormahopen position.

Figure 6' is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the valve in closedposition.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and4, the apparatus of the invention is shown as a mobile unit generallydesignated as It) and it is also shown adjacent an oil well derrickwhich is designated as 11. The derrick is shown fragmentarily and it isprovided with a crown block 12 to which a line 13 and a sheave 13a areattached. The other end of the line (not shown) is, of course, attachedto a winch, and the necessary mechanical equipment and a prime mover areprovided, none of which is shown.

A single sucker rod is shown at 14. At one end there is a femalecoupling 15a and at the other end a male coupling 15b, by means of whichany number of individual rods are joined together in end-to-end relationto form a string of rods. A conventional elevator is shown at 16 whichprovides a detachable connection between the line 13 and the rod 14. Thesingle rod 14 has, of course, been hoisted from a well and detached fromthe string. it is intended that the rod 14 be lowered onto the apparatus10, detached from the elevator 16 and dumped to a prone position. It isalso intended that successive lengths of rods 14, as they are pulledfrom the well and are detached from the string, be similarly handled.

The apparatus 10 comprises a frame 25 including an open siding 26constructed of channels or any other suitable structural members, a bed27 and wheels 28 which are suitably mounted on axles and secured to theframe. A coupling may be provided at 29 to connect the apparatus to anautomotive vehicle.

A slide trough 30 is also provided which, as is best shown in Figure 4,is of U-shaped cross section to receive and hold a single length of rodsuch as shown at 14, but to allow dumping of the rod in the mannerhereinafter described. The trough 30 is supported by a suitable numberof posts 31, e. g., by two such posts, each of which is fixed rigidly atits lower end to the frame 25 and is connected at its upper end by meansof a hinge 32 to the trough so that the trough is permanently supportedat the level illustrated, but is capable of rotation about an inclinedaxis (i. e., the axes of the hinges 32) between a rod holding positionshown in solid lines in amass? shown). Itjwill be. apparent, of cour'se,that other pressure means 'may be employed, e. g., hydraulic fluid.Comair is. preferred, however, becauseol its general availability andbecause of its rapidresponse.

Referring now to Figures and 6, the valve assernbly 41 comprises a body43having an inletjpassage, 44and an outlet'p'assage 45 which areinterconnected byla cylinchamber 46 in which a piston or plunger 47 isslidable. The plunger 47"is formed with a passage 48 for connecting thepassages 44 and 45 and with an exhaust 1' age 49 which is intended toregister'with an opening not shown) in the valve body 43, The right handend oi thepassage48 as viewed in FiguresS and 6, i. e., the

'en'd adjacent the passage 45, diverges at 48a for apurpose which isexplained hereinafter. The plunger 47 is normally i nithe lower, openposition illustrated, in Figure 5 by means of an expansion spring 55.which is compressed between the top of the plunger anda cap 56 To theplunger 47 is attached a rod 57.

Referring to Figures 1 and.2, it will be seen thatthe r9d57 is adjacentbut spaced somewhat from the upper left hand. end of the trough and thatit extends to a point somewhat above the trough 30. As is mostclearlyshow'nin Figure 4, a'lever58 is provided theo-uter or left hand end ofwhich (as viewed in Figure 4) is pivoted at 5,011 the rod 57. The lever58 is fulcrurnmedat 60 on the upper end of a post 61 which is fixed tothe frame 25, ahdit extends inwardly or to the right as viewed inFigure'4 so that its inner end is in longitudinal alignment .withthetrough 30.

Normally, by reason of the spring 55 the valve 41 is in openpositionwithrespect to the passages and and is closed with respect to theexhaust passage 49; tie, it is normally in theposition illustrated inFigure 5.

enemas long as adequateair pressure is supplied through the hose 40, thetrough 30 will be held by the air cylinders .in its rod holdingposition, i. e., in readiness to receive and hold a rod such as thatshown at 14in Figure 1.

Such a rod will be lowered by the hoistingequipment associated with thederrick 11, including the crowniblock 12 and the line 13. The lower endof the rod will be guided by a workman into the trough 30 Continuedlowering of the rod, by reason of the downward pitch of the trough 30,will cause the lower end, of the rod to slide downwardly and to theright as viewed in Figure l. The cupped shape of trough 30 will not onlyguide the rod 14 longitudinally, but will also keep the upper end of therod in alignment with the trough, hence also with the lever 58. Hence,as the upper end of the rod,14 is lowered into the trough, it willnecessarily contact the lever 58. However, just before such contact ismade, a workman will detach the upper end of the rod from the elevator16 to allow it to drop freely into the trough. Upon contact withthelever 58, the rod will rotate the lever 58 clockwise as viewed inFigure 4. This will result in lifting the rod 57, and with it theplunger 47, to the position shown in Figure 6. The valve 41 will,therefore, be closed momentarily in relation to the inlet passage 44 andwill be opened in relation to the exhaust passage 49.

It will be apparent that pressure will be momentarily released from'theair cylinders 33. Hence, the trough30 is free to rotate in clockwisedirection as viewed in Figure 4 to the dumping position shown in brokenlines, and it does so rotate under its own weight and the added weightof the rod 14. The rod will, therefore, be automatically dumped onto thebed 27 of the apparatus, and it will be dumped in the proper-positionfor stacking, i. e., in a prone 4 .9 Pa al el a l slss Qt t s ra a atu nhat an operator can easily roll the rod to one side.

This automatic dumping action is momentary only. As the rod is dumped,its pressure on the lever 58 is released. The spring 55 in valve 41 willreturn the plunger 47 to its normal, open position. Pressure will againbe communicated from the passage 44.to the passage 45, thence throughthe hose 42 to the cylinders 33. The pressure in these cylinders will"rotate the troughv 30 back to its normal, rod holding position inreadinessfor the next rod.

In stacking rods which are thus dumped into the apparatus, it ispreferablerto arrange them .in an orderly manner, parallel to oneanother and in layers or tiers. It will be noted that the automaticdumping mechanism is located at one side of the frame, hence will dumpthe rods on that side. An operator, or preferably two operators, onebeing located at each end of the frame, will roll successive rodsacross. the beduntilalayer of rodshas been completed. Before,stackingthe next layer. it'is. preferable to place. transverse spacersatop the lower layer to space it fromthe next higherslayer.

For, this purpose ,an adequate. supply of spacer rods. 65. isprovidedltogetherwith meansfor storing these rods when not. inuse. andfor manipulating the rods. Eachrod 65.; asis bestshown .iniFigures ,3and 4, is hinged at 70-to. ashorterilength .of rod.71.which is connectedto a rounded, shoe. 72., The storagemeans consists of arack.731comprisingapairof spaced, parallel cantilever members 74 whicharefixed to ;and extend laterally from the sidev frame.26.- opposite.the .trough30. The rack. 73..is. shown in plan view in Figure 2. Eachcantilever member.- 74 is formed witha longitudinal slot75 whichslidably and. .rotatably. .receive s .the. shoes 72, and a detachable,encl closure. 76.is providedifor the .outer end of each slot which.can.bedetachcdto,permitinsertion and removal of spacer rods as desired.As shown in FigureS, acontinuation of. the slots is providedzat 75aalong the, length. and at the. top. of .theadjacent. side-.frame26.which connect with. verticalaslots75b which. are located at the ends andat the middle of the side frame;

In.use,.when alayer: of sucker rods 14 .has beenv com-v pleted, spacerrods.65 .are-movedinwardly of the, rack and are rotated tothe extendedposition shown in Figure-.4. One such rodis pushed along. thelongitudinal slot. 75zz :and thendown .thevertical slot .75b,.at theleft'hand end of the. apparatus .asviewed.inFigureS. The next rod issimilarly locatedinlhe slot.75b at, the middleof the apparatus-anda.third rod is similarly locatedwinthesvertical .slotat ,theright.hand....end.:; The apparatusis thenin readinessto. receive.thenext .layer of sucker.- rods. It will, of 560111186, be apparent,that .the spacer rods .65. arerestored to the rack; by carrying out theabove operations in reverse.

When afull load of rods has been dumped and stacked in thismanner,anautomotivevehicle may be attachedtothe apparatusby means of-thecoupling. and. the load hauled away.

It will, therefore, beapparent that apparatus hasrbeenz,providedlwhichis.preferably mobile as villustrated and whichsatisfiesthe several objectslhereinabove mentioned: Sucker rods or thelikecanbe. stacked quickly, uniformly and without,twisting,.tanglingor'damage... The dumping operation is.performed.-.automatically and,when com: pleted, the rod-receiving and dumping mechanism: returns.automatically to; at state .of readiness for the next: rod. Thismechanismguideseach rod intoproper position for. dumpinglengthwiseof.the:.apparatus, and it involves .a minimum of manual operation. A meansis providedfor. maintaining a supply of spacers at a convenient positionand in compact position, and this means permits .rapid,easy\manipulation; ofl thespacers;

I clairni 1. In rod racking apparatus and the lil-:e,.the combina tionof an inclined trough having its-longitudinal axisin-. clined tothehorizontal so'asto receive and vguidingly support a .rod suspended .atits: upper: end :and lowered. 011110;;

said trough, and to slide and guide the lower end of such rod from theupper end to the lower end of the trough; means hingedly supporting saidtrough for rotation be tween a receiving position to receive, guide andsupport a rod and a dumping position to dump such rod; fluid pressuremeans adapted to rotate said trough and to hold it in its receivingposition; a normally open valve for admitting pressure to said fluidpressure means to so rotate and hold said trough; valve operating meansincluding a lever disposed adjacent the upper end of said trough to lieathwart the path of travel of the upper end of a rod and to contact thesame when such upper end is lowered into said trough, said valveoperating means also including means connecting said lever with saidvalve to close the valve and relieve pressure momentarily from saidfluid pressure means When the upper end of a rod has been deposited insaid trough.

2. In a sucker rod racking device for receiving lengths of sucker rod insuccession as they are pulled from a well, hoisted vertically, thenlowered vertically onto a rack, the combination which comprises: a slidetrough of cupped cross section to receive and support a length of suckerrod, means hingedly mounting such trough with its longitudinal axisinclined and for rotation about an axis parallel to such longitudinalaxis between a first position for receiving and supporting a sucker rodand a second position for dumping such rod, the inclination of saidtrough being such that, as a suspended sucker rod is lowered verticallyfrom a derrick onto said trough, the trough will guide the lower end ofthe rod downwardly; said combination also comprising a fluid pressuremember operable, when in pressurized condition, to rotate said trough toand hold it in said first position; said combination also comprising anautomatic valve which normally assumes a position to communicatepressure to said fluid pressure member, and pressure release meansoperable upon application of a positive force to shift said valve torelease pressure from said fluid pressure member, said pressure releasemeans including a trigger member disposed athwart the path of travel ofa sucker rod onto said trough to actuate said pressure release meansmomentarily as the upper end of a sucker rod is lowered into saidtrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS672,872 Dreyer Apr. 23, 1901 1,423,856 Iupp et al. July 25, 19222,335,719 Williams Nov. 30, 1943 2,397,192 Meyerbach Mar. 26, 19462,591,339 Davis Apr. 1, 1952 2,593,472 McGinn Apr. 22, 1952 2,611,495Weaver Sept. 23, 1952 2,631,741 Tucker Mar. 17, 1953

